ginjawarrior
Well-Known Member
Parents back Hitherfield Primary School head after cannabis factory is found in boiler room Parents have backed the head of a Streatham primary school where police discovered a cannabis farm last week.
Hitherfield Primary School caretaker, Michael Griffin, 44, admitted cultivating 31 cannabis plants in the school boiler room.
The plants could have been worth up to £5,000 if they were refined into the class B drug.
After police raided the school last week, school head Chris Ashley Jones immediately suspended Griffin from work and wrote to parents letting them know what happened to allay their fears.
Mr Griffin was due to receive a letter confirming his sacking on Wednesday.
Speaking as they arrived at school on Tuesday, many parents told the Streatham Guardian they were unhappy with what had happened, but were pleased with how the school administration had handled the situation.
One mum said: There is no problem as this has not hurt the children at all. This is a good school and I am happy to send my children here.
Others were not so pleased. One mum, who did not want to be named, said: It's very disappointing because at the end of the day these are the people who look after our children. Could they have discovered what was going on sooner?
She said many pupils knew about the raid.
Cops waited until Hitherfields 442 pupils aged three to 11 were on half-term holiday before swooping on Wednesday morning.
Griffin was arrested and charged with cultivating cannabis plants, and possession of a quantity of cannabis resin.
Magistrates handed him a 12 week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to do 120 hours of unpaid community work.
Mr Ashley Jones, the headmaster, said Griffin did not work directly with young people at the school and the school did not believe the allegations involved any pupils.
The plants were grown in a concealed enclosed part of the school site which pupils didn't access, he added. The school will continue to run as normal and it goes without saying that the continued safety of pupils will be my highest priority. I will make sure parents are kept informed as I know more.
Parent and school governor Alice Donald called it a highly unusual incident".
A spokeswoman from electricity company EDF said it was called to make electricity supplies safe at the school following the raid.
Powerful hydroponic lights are often used by cannabis growers to encourage their plants to grow.
cannazine.co.uk/cannabis-news/united-kingdom/parents-back-hitherfield-primary-school-head-after-cannabis-factory-is-found-in-boiler-room.html
Hitherfield Primary School caretaker, Michael Griffin, 44, admitted cultivating 31 cannabis plants in the school boiler room.
The plants could have been worth up to £5,000 if they were refined into the class B drug.
After police raided the school last week, school head Chris Ashley Jones immediately suspended Griffin from work and wrote to parents letting them know what happened to allay their fears.
Mr Griffin was due to receive a letter confirming his sacking on Wednesday.
Speaking as they arrived at school on Tuesday, many parents told the Streatham Guardian they were unhappy with what had happened, but were pleased with how the school administration had handled the situation.
One mum said: There is no problem as this has not hurt the children at all. This is a good school and I am happy to send my children here.
Others were not so pleased. One mum, who did not want to be named, said: It's very disappointing because at the end of the day these are the people who look after our children. Could they have discovered what was going on sooner?
She said many pupils knew about the raid.
Cops waited until Hitherfields 442 pupils aged three to 11 were on half-term holiday before swooping on Wednesday morning.
Griffin was arrested and charged with cultivating cannabis plants, and possession of a quantity of cannabis resin.
Magistrates handed him a 12 week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to do 120 hours of unpaid community work.
Mr Ashley Jones, the headmaster, said Griffin did not work directly with young people at the school and the school did not believe the allegations involved any pupils.
The plants were grown in a concealed enclosed part of the school site which pupils didn't access, he added. The school will continue to run as normal and it goes without saying that the continued safety of pupils will be my highest priority. I will make sure parents are kept informed as I know more.
Parent and school governor Alice Donald called it a highly unusual incident".
A spokeswoman from electricity company EDF said it was called to make electricity supplies safe at the school following the raid.
Powerful hydroponic lights are often used by cannabis growers to encourage their plants to grow.
cannazine.co.uk/cannabis-news/united-kingdom/parents-back-hitherfield-primary-school-head-after-cannabis-factory-is-found-in-boiler-room.html
